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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Book Blast & Giveaway GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER


GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER

A chance reading of a newspaper ad will send 16 year old Thomas Byrne into the world within our world.

Following the ad he will find Guardians Incorporated. A seven thousand year old organization charged with protecting the balance between Magic and technology.

Through their guidance, technology has kept Magic at bay since the Renaissance, but the balance is shifting and soon all those creatures we've driven into myth and legend will come back with a vengeance.

To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future and to unlock the future
they need a Cypher.



Book Trailer






Guardians Inc.: The Cypher is FREE on Kindle, Nook & iBooks


Praise
USA Book News 2012 Finalist -Young Adult Fiction

"Rosado-Machain brings a light, humorous touch to themes of teenage love, loss and betrayal wrapped up in a tasty package of magical coming-of-age."
~Kirkus Reviews

"It's like Julian Rosado-Machain took everything that I love about middle grade children's fiction and slammed it into one awesome, well-paced fantasy"
~Emi London Oktopusink.blogspot.com

"The Cypher hooked me from the beginning. And kept my attention right through to the very end."
- Heidi Roth reviewthebook.com




Get Your Copy for FREE





Author Julian Rosado-Machain

Julian has enjoyed pizza in three continents, holds a degree in graphic design, built armored vehicles and computers, handcrafted alebrijes and swears has seen at least one ghost.

He is the Co-owner of Hacienda de Vega Restaurant in San Diego, California and enjoys the sun with his wife, three children and cat.










Book Blast Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3/13/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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Review: Spring Break by LC Kanon





About the Book:
An all-expenses paid trip to Cancun for spring break? It wasn't exactly a hard sell for Leigh, Eva, Gia and Joy, frenemies from Arizona Southern University. But all is not well in the land of silver or lead. Soon after arriving, Leigh and the girls stumble upon some cartel carnage—a bloodbath of debauchery that makes even their wildest desert party seem tame.
Instead of doing the proper thing, like contacting the authorities, the girls venture down the rabbit hole in this tale of sex, lies, and bloodshed. Everything changes when Leigh makes the acquaintance of Guero, a cartel kingpin who is none too pleased with her newfound lust for blood money.
These vengeful coeds aren’t on campus anymore, and after Guero lets them know just how serious he is, they make a run for the border no one will ever forget.
My Review:
I first signed up for this book tour, because the first part of the story takes place in locations in Arizona, and since I live here, it is always exciting for me to read books that take place where I live.  Anyway, these four college co-eds are pretty much mean girls.  Gia is nasty and she has it out for Eva because Eva slept with her ex-boyfriend.  They end up stuck in a cartel war and you start to see some of these girls true colors.  

The girls have to fight their way out of Mexico, where they have gone on Spring break in order to make it back home.  Some of the girls don't make it, but I won't say who.  The girls get involved in drugs and violence.  One of the girls suddenly becomes a killing machine...which is a little far fetched, but take it at face value and the book is a fun read.  It's very twisted and you'll be surprised by the end.
About the Author:
LC Kanon is a native of Chicago, Illinois and has lived and worked in various locations across the country. A first-time author, LC was driven to write after reading far too many thrillers with damsels in distress. Compelled to meld the drama of chick lit with action and suspense, LC began writing and never stopped. Her first book, "Spring Break," mixes coeds and cartels in a bloody romp through Mexico. When she's not writing, LC enjoys watching kung fu, taking long drives, and walking along sandy beaches.

Spring Break Tour Page:

Cover Reveal: Deceived Part 3 Chloe's Revenge by Eve Carter




Deceived Part 3 Chloe's Revenge by Eve Carter
Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Carter Publishing House (Self-Published)
Format: Ebook
Length: approx. 130 pages
Release Date: March 15th 2013

Book Description:

The steamy Deceived romance trilogy by Eve Carter, in the bestselling tradition of Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James and The Blackstone Affair by Raine Miller.

When Chloe Swanson, an innocent mid-western college graduate, lands her dream job in New York City, she doesn't realize what kind of a ride she's in for.
It doesn't take long before her boss, the charming and sharp businessman Patrick Collins, deceives her into being part of his plan to land the biggest account of his life.

However, he never expected that he would fall for her. Suddenly, he finds himself trapped between a ruthless billionaire client, who has her own eyes set on Patrick, and his deep affection for the beautiful Chloe.

What follows is a sensual and passionate journey of self-discovery, as Chloe faces the harsh reality of jealousy, love and money in the big city.

Stimulating, amusing and highly arousing, Deceived is a romance that will excite and titillate your senses.

Purchase Deceived Part 1 - New York: Amazon

Purchase Deceived Part 2 - Paris: Amazon

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Review & Giveaway of Summer Break Blues by J.A. Campbell




Title: Summer Break Blues
Series: Clanless
Author: J.A. Campbell
Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Format: Ebook
Length: 54000 words

Purchase: Bono Books | Amazon | B&N |

Book Description:

Meg managed to survive her senior year of high school as a vampire, and now she’s looking forward to a relaxing summer with her friends before trying to tackle college. Unfortunately, some unfinished business from the previous year rears its ugly head. Meg is forced to deal with the Sidhe who are distinctly unhappy that she killed one of their kind last winter. Then Ann’s parents vanish while on their annual summer vacation in Maine and it’s up to Meg and the rest of the gang to come to the rescue. Though she is still trying to figure out who and what she has become, Meg feels she and her friends are up to the challenge. That is, until things really start to fall apart.

My Review:  Summer Break Blues is book two in the Clanless series by J.A. Campbell.  If you haven’t already read book one, Senior Year Bites I suggest you read that one first.  You won’t be completely lost if you read book two first, but there are weird circumstances surrounding Meg turning into a vampire, that were vaguely mentioned in book two, and if you’re anything like me, you’re going to want to know all the juicy details.  So I stopped, went back, read book one and then book two, and I was like, “Aaah!”

So here is what you need to know, about Summer Break Blues, Meg was transformed into a vampire in book one.  I won’t spoil how it happened, in case you want to read the books in order.  Meg is somehow not a normal vampire, or so she’s gathered from fiction and from a faery named Alexander.  Alexander is her good friend Ann’s boyfriend, and by all rights vampires and faeries should be enemies.  Vampires are selfish and disgusting and are hated by all other paranormal beings.  That is the extent of Alexander’s knowledge.  So Meg, who doesn’t know who her sire is, is trying to figure out why she isn’t killed by sunlight and trying to get a handle on her powers.  She and her friends are supposed to stay at Ann’s house for the summer while her parents are out of town all the while keeping up the Buffy/Scooby Doo like patrols they started in the last book when they learned that vampires and faeries and other creatures that go bump in the night are real.

Some ticked off faeries are in town because Meg killed one of their brethren,  and they’re keeping an eye on her, and hostile about the fact that she is a vamp.  Then Ann’s parents go missing and Ann is acting weird.  The group goes on a search and rescue mission to try to find her parents.  Along the way sparks begin to fly between Meg and Alexander which could spell trouble for Meg and Ann’s friendship.  Where are Ann’s parents?  Do the Faeries have anything to do with it?  Why is Ann being weird?  Will Meg and Alexander be able to hide their feelings or decide to act on them?  Find out the answers to these questions and more in Summer Break Blues.

I loved these stories.  Though I mentioned Buffy and Scooby Doo, these stories are also uniquely their own.  I like the characters with their different personalities and unique flaws.  It reminds me of young adult books I read in the nineties.  The characters were just themselves and weren’t cookie cutter molds of helpless Bella Swan or Kick Ass Katniss Everdeen.  The characters just are.  They’re not born tough as nails and ready to kick ass, but they do have their own strengths and weaknesses and grow as individuals and in their relationships.  I’m not so old that I can’t remember what it was like to be a teenager.  I remember the first stirrings of a crush.  I remember what it must feel like to crush on someone your friend likes, not wanting to ruin your friendship and not able to get over your crush.  I also remember what it feels like to have a best friend like the same guy as you.  I think that all the characters acted believably in this regard.  I also think that Meg acted realistically about learning she was a vampire and the stress and awkwardness about trying to figure out what she could do. 

Overall I really liked both books, and I wish the third was already out so I could know what happens next.

Excerpt:

I ran, almost flew over the sand. Alexander’s sheer panic drove me to move faster than I ever had before. I didn’t have much time to take in the scene, but he struggled with someone. Not having a better idea, or time to plan, I tackled them. We all tumbled to the ground, and I managed to keep hold of his attacker long enough to get him away from Alexander. We rolled, and I tried to come up on top, but the stranger was strong and pinned me before we even stopped moving. 
“Aww, and here I’d thought you brought me dinner.” I had a brief impression of black eyes and gleaming fangs before he grabbed my shoulders and lifted me up, then slammed me back into the sand.
Pain lanced through my head. I groaned and tried to fight back, but before I’d even formulated a plan, the assailant’s weight was gone. Alexander cried out again. 
“Damn it, why do I have to keep saving you!” I jumped up and plowed into them again. This time I dug claws into his ribcage and jerked him away. I thought I had a good grip, but he twisted free. The smell of blood was overpowering. Some of it was Alexander’s, but much of it was my opponent’s. He backed up, still smiling at me. He didn’t look at all concerned I’d just buried claws into his ribcage. He wasn’t much taller than me, and his dark hair and almond eyes made me think he was Asian. But the fangs he bared were all Vampire. 
Terror lanced through me, making me weak. I wanted to run. The fear I’d felt when I’d faced the Unseelie last winter was nothing compared to my fear now. Vampires were real monsters, and I was certain I was about to die. 
“Well, you do have a little bite to you.” His smile wasn’t friendly.  He wasn’t much bigger than me, but he was a lot faster, and I lost sight of him until he stood right in front of me.
“But you’re young. And dumb. I told you to be more careful.” 
I tried to block his next move, but he caught my arm and twisted me around, trapping me against his chest. I felt strangely exposed and panic turned my limbs,
and my brain, to jelly. I shrieked and tried to pull away.
The Vampire laughed. 
“Meg!” 
“Run! Get out of here!” I thought that’s what I said, but in my panicked state I could have been shouting the periodic table. I kicked backward, and my heel connected with the Vampire’s shin. His grip never loosened. 
Duck!
I wasn’t sure if I actually heard the words or not, but they punched through my panicked fog, and I did the best I could. The Vampire still had hold of me so I twisted my face against his blood-covered chest. 
Light flared and the Vampire screamed. I pulled away from him, small pinpricks of heat searing along my shoulder and back. He was still yelling as I ran away from him. 

About the Author:

Julie writes fantasy novels. When she’s not out riding her horse, she can usually be found sitting in front of her computer with a cat on her lap and her dog at her side. You can find out more about her and her writing at www.writerjacampbell.com

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Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan book Blast and Giveaway


Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan

How can love mend a heart full of hate?

Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful. Then one day after school, something magical happens. On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers. While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding. Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly's life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor. Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings.

Fields of Elysium is a suspenseful, romantic tale full of forbidden secrets, unimaginable danger, deception, and the never-ending fight for true love.




PRAISE

"The novel's take on otherworldly travel is a compelling one, and the romantic plot will likely appeal to Twilight fans." - Kirkus Reviews

"I expected a good love story with a paranormal twist. I got so much more. I think you should take the chance and read it. Let this book take you on the adventure, fall in love." - Young Adult and Teen Readers

"Fields of Elysium is a fabulous read. ... Whelan paints her faith into the fabric of her story with deft, light brushstrokes, making her work accessible to all, no matter their spiritual beliefs or background." - Readers Favorite

"I escaped into this fantasy world, author, A.B.Whelan, created and I didn’t want Molly to go. From detailed descriptions, to sweet romance, and to all the twist and turns in the story, it had me captivated from page one." - Mary Ting, author of the Crossroads Saga

"Whelan's writing is very vivid and descriptive. It's more formal than the average YA novel, but I enjoyed the lyrical and mesmerizing quality to it. I thought the overall story read like a fairy tale--very sweet." - Megan Thomason, author of Daynight







Author A.B. Whelan

A.B.Whelan is a Hungarian born, American writer. She currently lives with her husband and two children in Southern California.
While growing up in a wealthy Eastern European family, she had a chance to travel Europe. Later as an adult, she visited Africa and the Middle East and lived in Ecuador and in Crete.










Tour Schedule






$50 Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash plus a gift bag of one signed copy of Fields of Elysium, a scrabble-tile pendant with a butterfly image on a chain necklace, and a fridge magnet.

Ends 3/11/13

Gift Bag open to US only.  If winner is international they will receive only the gift card or paypal cash.
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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The Life & Dysfunction of Nadine Daniels by Hadena James Review & Guest Post



Mystery
Date Published:1/13/12


 Nadine Daniels’ life is a disaster.  The security company that she owns is being sued, her mother is coming to visit for a week, and some unpleasant realities about her “charity” work are about to surface.  She thought this was as bad as it could get, but she was wrong—dead wrong.
Someone believes she knows a secret – a secret worth killing for.  With assassins tracking her every move, Nadine wishes the only thing she had to worry about was her mother pestering her to settle down with her suspected live-in boyfriend, Zeke, but she can’t think about the future when the present might end with her death.




Virtual Book Tour February 25 - March 10

February 25 -  - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet
February 26 - Waiting on Sunday to Drown - Review/Guest Post
February 27 - Books and Needlepoint - Review
February 28 - Book Reviews and More - Guest Post/PROMO
March 1 - Andi's Book Reviews - Interview/PROMO
March 2 - My Reading Addiction - PROMO
March 3 - Must Read Faster - Review/Guest Post
March 5 - Bless Their Hearts Mom - Review/GuestPost
March 6 - Queen of All She Reads - REview/Guest Post
March 7 - Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews - Interview/PROMO
March 8 - Gimme the Scoop - Guest Post/PROMO
March 8 - Uttley's Take - Guest Post/PROMO
March 9 -Cozie Corner - Review
March 10 -  The Self Taught Cook - Review

Hadena James
Author Bio:
Hadena James began writing at the age of eight. As a teenager, she had several short stories
published in literary magazines. She completed writing her first novel at the age of 17.
Hadena graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in European History with minors in
German and Russian studies. She has always wanted to be a writer so she also took several classes
in creative writing.

Hadena’s primary literary genre is action/thriller. She currently writes two series, both use action/
thriller. “The Brenna Strachan Series” uses fantasy and the “Dreams & Reality Series” uses murder
mystery as its secondary genre. She continues to explore and expand her writing and hopes to soon
produce a comedic action/thriller.

When she isn’t busy writing or running her business, Hadena enjoys playing in a steel-tip dart
league. She also loves to travel throughout North America and Europe. Her favorite cities are
Chicago, Illinois and Berlin, Germany. She is an avid reader, reading everything from the classics
like Jane Austen to modern writers like Terry Pratchett. One of her all-time favorite books is “Good
Omens” by Neil Gaimen and Terry Pratchett. She writes all of her books while listening to music
and the bands tend to get “honorable mentions” within the pages.

Twitter:  @hadenajames


Buy Links 



Guest Post

10 Things Readers Would Be Surprised to Know About Me by Hadena James
1.       I write with a Nom de Plume.  Hadena James is not my real name, but a twisted construct of it.
2.       I really do speak English, German and Russian and I’m fluent in all of them.  Although my German language skills are much stronger than my Russian and German is easier for me to speak.
3.       My history degree is in 20th Century Military Conflicts, specifically World War II.  One could argue that my degree is in German History and Russian History since I had to take culture classes in each of them for my history degree (and that is incidentally how I managed to learn both languages and get minors in them).
4.       My upcoming novel, Tortured Dreams, is my 10th full novel written with the Cain characters, but only the first one I have been willing to publish.
5.       The Life & Dysfunction of Nadine Daniels’ was written almost 13 years earlier.  It was edited for the first time eight years ago.  I chopped more out of it the day before I published because it was still 117,000 words.
6.       I was offered a publishing contract 10 years or so ago for one of my Cain novels, but turned it down because I did not retain the rights to the characters. 
7.       I am incapable of writing a love scene.  I am very good at lewd comments and vulgar jokes, but I can’t sit down and write a steamy scene.  I consider it a weakness and have been working on a cure for the last 8 years.
8.       Most of my rejected novels are because they do not have love scenes in them.  Publishers and agents alike have been telling me for years that if I’d just “put in a sex scene or two” they would gladly publish. 
9.       I create flawed characters because I have an anxiety disorder (hence the Nom de Plume) and I feel they help people relate to their mentally ill friends and family.
10.   The first story I ever wrote was a short story titled “How the Raccoon Got Its Mask” and was a fable… I was one month from being eight years old.  My mother keeps it framed.  It is one page long and is the only time in my life I had good handwriting.  

My Review

I love a good mystery – especially when there is humor involved.  It is why I am such a big fan of the Stephanie Plum books.  I read a lot of Kindle mysteries, some with varying degrees of goodness.  One thing I often find is that they are too short.  That is not the case with The Life and Dysfunction of Nadine Daniels.  The book is reasonably substantial length at about 318 pages.  Our heroine, Nadine, has a lot going on in her life.  I can just imagine all the stress involved.  The poor gal is juggling a lawsuit against her company, dealing with some soon-to-be public issues with her charity, and to top it all off her family is coming to town.   To make matters worse, someone believes Nadine to know something, something worth killing over.  So how can Nadine juggle all these things, avoid being killed, and keep her family safe?  To make matters worse, her mother is putting the squeeze on her about getting married.  I can totally relate to this, and while it sucks when it happens to you, it can be fun to read about it happening to someone else.  Makes you realize that you are not the only one going through such things and that all families are crazy.

The plot moves along at a reasonable pace.  There are some actions I would have done differently, had I been Nadine, but she handles it in her own way.  There is a great deal of humor and a fair amount of romance mixed in as well.  The thing I feel Hadena James excels most at is character development.  You really feel like you know each and every one of these characters.  They could be your own family.  Overall, I found this book to be a fun and engrossing book, and I hope there is another one!

Monday, February 25, 2013

The Sweetest Taboo by Eva Marquez Promo & Giveaway (ends 3/1, INTL)


Title: Sweetest Taboo
Author: Eva Marquez
Release date: October 1, 2012
Genre and Age Group: *Mature* YA Adult Contemporary Romance/Ages 16+/Females
Event organized by: AToMR Tours
Links: www.SweetestTabooBook.com
Amazon: http://amzn.to/OqHRrE
B&N: http://bit.ly/QtTP2d
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sweetest.Taboo.YA.Book

Book Description:
Isabel Cruz was fifteen years old when she met Tom Stevens. She was 15 when they started dating, and 16 when she lost her virginity to him. By the time she turned 18 and went to college, everything had fallen apart. This hadn’t been an ordinary love, though. Not a love between two dear friends, or even high school sweethearts. This had been the most taboo sort of love there was: a relationship between a student and her teacher. Isabel started her high school career as a normal student, but set her sights on Tom Stevens as soon as she met him, and pursued him with an intense – and sometimes reckless – fascination. When he finally approached her after swim practice and told her that he shared her feelings, it was the start of a forbidden and dangerous relationship.

About the Author

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, daughter of European immigrants, Eva Márquez has spent most of her life outside of her home country. At the age of five, Eva accompanied her parents to the United States, where the family settled permanently. After graduating from university, she went on to complete graduate studies in International Relations in Spain. Eva received her Master of International Studies degree from the University of Sydney and went on to work in the global health field in Sub Saharan Africa and South East Asia. Eva currently resides in Southern Africa.
.

Visit Eva’s Amazon Author Central Page



EXCERPT 2 (from Chapter 1)
“You’re my sweetheart," he told me, his voice sad. "I can’t imagine life without you. I don’t want to have to imagine life without you.”
Tom rarely used terms of endearment with me, these days. When he did – in these rare moments when he called me his sweetheart – my heart melted. All of the turmoil, the sleepless nights, the protracted nature of our relationship, became nothing more than a passing inconvenience and very worthwhile. Tonight, though, I knew that the word came with drawbacks. They gave me the courage I needed to say the words I’d been dreading.
“My graduation won’t affect our relationship, you know that," I told him. "Look at how much we’ve been through together. If we made it through all of that, we can make it through anything. Tom, I want to be with you always, no matter where life takes me after graduation.”
I spoke passionately, fully believing in what I said. I was absolutely devoted to this man. But somewhere deep inside, I knew I was being dishonest. Neither of us wanted our relationship to change, but it was clear that things were going to change, and soon. I had just been offered a place at a small, private liberal arts college on the East Coast. The choice had been difficult because although I wanted to stay close to Tom, I also wanted to move forward with my life. In the end, I accepted the offer. Tom hadn’t really reacted when I told him. It hadn’t affected our relationship. Now, though, the cracks were starting to show.
 “I want to believe that,” Tom answered quietly. “I loved the last letter you wrote me. Every time I read your letters, I feel like I’m sixteen again. I feel like I’ve come out of a deep sleep." A pause, and then, "I can’t lose you, Isabel. You’re the reason I wake up in the morning; I can’t love anyone more than I love–”
Suddenly I heard a distinct click on the line. My heart plummeted.
“Did you hear that?" Tom snapped, his tone suddenly terse. "Did someone pick up the phone at your house?”
 “Hold on a minute, let me check inside.” I slipped back inside and listened, but the house was completely quiet. The kitchen phone was on the counter, my mom’s office was dark, and I was holding the only other phone in the house. 
"Who picked up the phone?” Tom repeated, worry coloring his voice.
The click had not originated on my end of the line. I should've been relieved, but my panic rose even more.
“Tom," I whispered into the receiver. "It wasn’t here, everyone’s asleep..."
“I have to go," Tom interrupted abruptly. "Danielle's coming.”
There was another click, and the line went dead.





Saturday, February 23, 2013

Guest Post, Exerpt & Giveaway: Fallen Ruler by Eleanor T. Beaty

Fallen Ruler:
 
 
For sixteen years, Lya, has lived as a normal human, until her father, Walter, gets involved with the wrong people and puts Lya’s life at risk. During a visit to Miami, Lya’s older sister is kidnapped, and Lya and her father are subsequently taken hostage by Walter’s associates and forced to board a plane to India. When the plane lands in Delhi, Lya is rescued by three monks and taken to a Monastery. There her reality is shattered, when she learns the true identity of her rescuers and, even more surprisingly, herself. Lya is now faced with the toughest decision of her life. Can she live up to her ethereal destiny and save her family?


 
 
 
 
 
 
Author bio

Eleanor T. Beaty is a Young Adult Paranormal author. A worldly person born in beautiful Brazil and spent much of her childhood in several places (Argentina, Switzerland, and the US to name a few). She holds a BA in English Literature and is published in both Brazil and Turkey.

 

Eleanor loves spirituality and magic - both have allowed her to gain a strong grip on life and enjoy what it has to offer. She believes that everything has a reason and understanding those reasons help us deal with the difficult moments. Eleanor currently enjoys life with her husband in Brazil.

 


 

Purchase Links:




 
Andrea, the character vs. the inspiration.
By Eleanor T Beaty
 
I based Andrea, Lya’s older sister, on a childhood friend. I did exaggerate a bit of her meanness but not too much. Her role, as a secondary character, was meant to contrast Lya’s kindness. I intended Andrea to be extremely dislikable, but many readers have reacted warmly towards her. Concerned even. An unexpected reaction, but a welcome one. This childhood friend of mine was a year older than me, and I was fascinated by her. For the sake of this blog, I will call her Mary.
 
Mary was my alter ego. I was shy, she wasn’t. I never lied, she always did and so on… that should be enough to get an idea of how opposite we were. Even physically. I was tall and thin, she was short and curvy. What we did have in common was; complicated parents of foreign origin, the same school and the tendency to get into trouble. We were drawn to each and did practically everything together through our early teens.
 
However, we did have a few falling-outs. I was somewhat short tempered and Mary was a provoker. Once, when we were at summer school together, we fought and went from best friends to worst enemies. I had a roommate I didn’t like much and Mary knew it. She decided to befriend the so-called roommate to annoy me and would come around to provoke.
 
It didn’t take much to make me lose it. My roommate and I had split the room in half with tape and I stated Mary could never step on my half. Until that day I had never released my wrath on Mary. She had no reason to think I would. Mary walked in, saw the tape and put her foot on my side. I warned her to remove it. She didn’t. I pounced on her and scratched her from head to toe. She ran out, straight to the infirmary where she was given a tetanus shot. Maybe she didn’t explain that the nails that scratched her were FINGERNAILS. Seriously, who gets a tetanus shot because of fingernails?
 
Well there went my reputation for the rest of the summer. Mary never challenged me again, physically, but when she could, she would put me down verbally, or go for the guy I had a crush on. Even so I couldn’t help but like her. She was funny and creative, had a great sense of style and got whatever she wanted. Unfortunately, when a teen we don’t see the down side to having our every whim fulfilled. What Mary didn’t have was a family that cared.
 
I didn’t have much of one either, but somehow it was more than she had. My parents imposed more rules, I didn’t get almost anything I wanted-even though my family was also well-off, and I got shipped off to boarding school for three years. Summer camps filled in the gaps between school terms. Mary went to a boarding school for one year and was allowed back. But not me. I could beg until I was green, my parents didn’t care. I only managed to come home in ninth grade after getting kicked out so many times, my parents ran out of options.
 
During my years in boarding school, Mary started drinking, not on the weekend or at parties, like the rest of us, but during school. She would take orange juice and vodka with her everyday. By 15 she was an alcoholic. Then going out with Mary to a party became a not-so-fun adventure. Most of the time the night would end with either my sibling or I carrying an almost unconscious Mary back to our house.
 
In Fallen Ruler, the scene on the stairs where Lya has to get Andrea up to her room was based on Mary. Every time Mary would argue with me all the way up, saying she could do it alone, until one day I got tired of being mistreated and let go. She tumbled down the stairs. I went back down and asked her if she was ready to try again. That was the last time she berated me. In my bedroom I put her down on the mattress, took off her clothes and covered her. She asked me to untie a bead necklace. For the love of God, there was no way I could undo the knot, and she insisted I get it off. I did, with scissors. When she woke up the next morning she saw all the purple marks on her body and her bead necklace strewn across the floor. I told her I had no idea how any of that had happened. If she wasn’t go to remember, why should I, right?
 
We slowly grew apart as her drinking got worse. So many people tried to help her get off that path of self-destruction but she didn’t want to change. By the age of twenty, she had such a bad reputation no one would take her seriously, nor give her a chance, or even want to be with her.  It made me angry and sad at the same time that a person with so much potential would choose to be a drunk. And even though I know alcoholism is a disease, she had so many opportunities, the friends, and money to get the treatment and help she needed, but she chose not to. Mary died in her early fifties, leaving only the memory of a sorry drunk as her legacy. Andrea is a tribute to Mary, and a reminder that children require and need guidance, not things. Not luxury, not freedom but rules, well defined rules, to be able to cope with life.
Fallen Ruler Excerpt #3
The older, gray-skinned being Lya had seen in her dream now helped her off the soft bed. She was still disoriented. Her head felt detached from her body, like she had been on a rollercoaster for hours. She stared open-mouthed at the weird looking bald being, while she allowed herself to be led. Lya had a vague memory of being lifted from the green gel by him and the younger being. The younger one wasn’t around now. Lya’s feet touched the ground. She wasn’t dreaming. Oh, this was bad.
Her pain had subsided somewhat. Lya looked around the room. It reminded her of those sci-fi movies: clean and modern, with lots of glass. Aside from the narrow, high bed, the only other item in the room was a ten-inch panel, with rows of light running the length of the far wall.
She turned back to study the gray being’s face. He was ugly. He had no hair. The thick membrane around his eyes looked like fake eyelashes. Odd, pulsating veins covered his body.
“Who are you?” Lya’s voice sounded like a rasp. With every word she spoke her head throbbed. “Where am I?”
“In Ray.”
Lya frowned. “Is it near Delhi?”
“A few light years away. It’s a planet, in a parallel universe.”
His words acted like an electrical discharge, jolting Lya awake. She was hallucinating. She knew she was. There was no other explanation. She reached out and touched the gray being. She felt him. Okay, hallucination was real. Her mind was distorting her vision. That sounded plausible. Don’t freak out. Lya smiled. “Is it close to those Streams?”
“It’s beyond that.”
The smile faded from Lya’s lips. “You’re screwing with me, right?”
“Don’t you worry, everything will be fine.”
Lya continued to stare at the gray… man—she guessed he was a man—as his words echoed in her brain. They triggered an image. She saw this same being placing her into that green tank, saying those very same words. Or not her... Lya. Although it felt like her, and somehow she knew it was her, but it was really the albino. The albino didn’t want to leave. She hesitated, grabbing onto the tank’s edges, and asked what it would be like? Would she ever come back? She turned to the older gray being and said, “Natuc, will you bring me back?”
“Natuc?” Lya whispered.
The gray being smiled. “You remembered. Good. Keep alert for those sudden burst of images, that’s how you will get your memory back.”
“My memory?” Lya searched Natuc’s face. “Please tell me this is all a mistake. A punishment for…” Lya couldn’t think of something she should be punished for, she hadn’t done anything all that bad to deserve being locked up in… what was this place? 
“Calm down. You’re not hallucinating, Tsaen.”
“Who?”
“Tsaen.”
“Tsaen? The albino, Tsaen? I’m not Tsaen.” Lya bit down on her lower lip. “I’m not Tsaen….”
 
 
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